The primary purpose of this website is to provide current information about city operations for the citizens of Rocky Mount. As you explore this site, you will find several opportunities to familiarize yourself with the city organization. This page provides a general overview of the structure and functions of your city government. If you cannot find the information you need, please email us. Click here for a listing of city phone numbers.

The city organization is composed of 13 departments. The City Manager appoints the head of each department and other key staff personnel.

CITY DEPARTMENTS (listed alphabetically):

CITY CLERK'S OFFICE - Pamela O. Casey, City Clerk
The City Clerk's office maintains and preserves the permanent and legal records of the City, including minutes of City Council meetings, ordinances, resolutions, contracts, easements, deeds to City property, cemetery records, and any other records committed to its custody or required by law. All records are maintained in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Records Retention and Disposition Schedule published by the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History.

CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE - Charles W. Penny, City Manager
All city operations are managed through the City Manager's Office; the above organizational chart further illustrates our administrative structure. The City Manager's Office, considered a city department for administrative & budget purposes, includes three divisions of Budget & Evaluation, Downtown Development, and Public Affairs. The Budget & Evaluation Manager develops the City's annual and capital budgets and is responsible for program evaluation and performance measurement. The Downtown Development Manager promotes the ongoing revitalization of Downtown Rocky Mount through several programs and activities for businesses and stakeholders. The Public Affairs Manager coordinates the City's communication efforts and public information programs, including the city's government access channel CITY TV-19. The Internal Auditor reviews entities and functions for adequacy of controls, legal and contractual compliance and good business practice. Tar River Transit is the city's public transportation system.

ENERGY RESOURCES - Richard Worsinger, Director
The Energy Resources Department provides safe, efficient, effective delivery of reliable electric and gas service for the benefit of all customers. The City has over 27,000 electric customers and over 17,000 natural gas customers. The Energy Resources Department offers several special programs to assist both residential and commercial customers.

ENGINEERING - Brad Kerr, Director
The Engineering Department manages improvements to the city's infrastructure and ensures the safe and efficient movement of people and goods within the City by providing a well planned, designed, and maintained transportation network. This department manages several core government functions, including construction inspections, traffic engineering, traffic signals, and street signs and marking.

FINANCE - Amy Staton, Director
The Finance Department manages several of the City's internal services such as accounting, information systems, and property management. This department also includes the purchasing division and the utility billing office, located on the first floor of City Hall.

FIRE - Mike Varnell, Fire Chief
The Rocky Mount Fire Department is known for having one of the best trained workforces in the state. The department coordinates an aggressive effort to ensure your safety by participating in national, state, and regional emergency management planning. The RMFD provides fire prevention education to local schools and civic organizations and has administers several other community oriented programs. The fire protection area served consists of two battalions, subdivided into seven fire station response zones.

HUMAN RELATIONS - Archie Jones, Director
The Human Relations Department manages a variety of programs to ensure that our community is free of discrimination based on race, sex, age, ethnic or national origin, religion or socio-economic status. The staff investigates complaints of discrimination and develops programs to promote good community relations. Some of the most well-known programs are the WARM (Winter Assistance for Rocky Mount) Program, the Neighborhood Council, and the Youth Council. The Human Relations Department provides staff support to three commissions: the Human Relations Commission, the Martin Luther King Commission, and the Mayor's Commission on Persons with Disabilities.

HUMAN RESOURCES - Elayne Henderson, Director
The Human Resources Department coordinates the recruitment and selection of new employees and assists job applicants through the employment process. The City is one of the largest employers in our area, and many employees have enjoyed a lifelong career with the city organization. The Human Resources Department assists city employees with training, benefits, and other personnel procedures.

PARKS AND RECREATION - Kelvin Yarrell, Director
The Parks & Recreation Department is one of the most visible departments within our city organization. The Department provides cultural and learning opportunities for area residents at the Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences, which houses the Children's Museum & Science Center, the Playhouse Theater, and the Arts Center. The Rocky Mount Sports Complex, which opened in 2006, has been a long-awaited addition to the city's park system. Athletic programs, cemeteries, community centers, and special events are also administered by this department.

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - Ken Graves, Director
The Planning & Development Department oversees all phases of planning and development for the city, including plan & subdivision administration, zoning, inspection services, minimum housing code, and community development block grant programs.

POLICE - James Moore - Chief of Police
The RMPD is committed to serving the citizens of Rocky Mount through the principles of integrity, fairness, professionalism, and respect. Each of the four divisions are comprised of sworn officers and civilian employees that work tirelessly to ensure your safety. The RMPD offers a variety of community programs, including a Citizens Police Academy, the Youth Explorers Program, and School Resource Officers.

PUBLIC WORKS - Jonathan L. Boone, P.E., Director
The Public Works Department provides several core services to our residents, including street maintenance, community code enforcement, and environmental services, which includes garbage, yard waste, and recycling collection. The Fleet Maintenance Division maintains all city vehicles and motorized equipment. The Community Code Division includes Keep America Beautiful of Nash & Edgecombe Counties, which coordinates local beautification, recycling, and litter cleanup efforts. The Streets and Stormwater Division ensures that the City’s street’s, culverts, sidewalks, and ditches are well maintained.

WATER RESOURCES - Jonathan L. Boone, P.E., Director
The Water Resources Department's mission is to produce and distribute potable water for domestic and commercial use and to collect, treat, and dispose of domestic and commercial wastewater. The Department is responsible for the total operation and maintenance of the water and sewer systems, and ensures the City's full compliance with all permits and federal and state regulations regarding your drinking water.

CITY ATTORNEYPoyner & Spruill, LLP
This law firm has represented the City of Rocky Mount since the early 1950's. Richard (Jep) J. Rose is assigned as the primary attorney to represent the City. Other attorneys of the firm are consulted on specialized cases.